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Melody Anderson
Joined: 05 Nov 2003
Posts: 814
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
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| Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2006 11:57 am Post Subject: Hunters kill Betty Rowe's Arapawa goats |
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Our thoughts and sympathy go out to friend of Mysterious New Zealand, Betty Rowe on Arapawa Island today as we learn of the killing of many of her beloved Arapawa goats by a group of (as yet) unapprehended gunmen. Many of you will be aware of Betty's dedicated role in trying to save the Arapawa goat and her efforts to hand rear and safeguard the animals as part of New Zealand's early heritage. (See our photo essay on Betty Rowe and the Arapawa goats)
We know Betty will be devastated by this bizarre and senseless act :cry:
Hunters kill rare goats at wildlife sanctuary
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/search/story.cfm?storyid=0006C186-2307-14B2-BEFB83027AF1010F
| New Zealand Herald wrote: | Police are investigating the shooting of at least eight rare goats by a group on a speedboat at a wildlife sanctuary on Arapawa Island in Queen Charlotte Sounds.
Mrs Betty Rowe, who has lived on the island for the past 34 years farming rare breeds of animals on a 121ha property, said the killing of her goats had been an "extremely stressful and traumatic experience".
Her Arapawa goats are unique and have persisted in a feral state on the island for the past 150 years. Their self-sustainability and disease resistance have made them valuable for their genetic diversity.
DNA tests are at present under way in England to determine their link with early settlers from Britain.
Mrs Rowe said it was not uncommon for people to come close to the island to take a look at her animals but she got a fright on July 3.
"I went to my door and heard what I thought sounded like a shot. I wasn't sure if it was a shot and didn't hear anything again but when I went to sit back down again all hell broke loose."
Mrs Rowe said she heard about 16 or 17 shots "overlapping", which possibly indicated more than one person was firing at the animals.
Mrs Rowe said her grandson's wife also heard the shots from another property on the island.
Her grandson chased five people in a boat but had to give up because his boat was not fast enough and did not have enough fuel.
Picton police confirmed they were investigating and Senior Sergeant Peter Payne said they had "plenty to continue on".
Mr Payne said it was unusual for this type of shooting to take place.
Anyone responsible could be fined up to $10,000 under the Wild Animal Control Act.
But this means little to 75-year-old Mrs Rowe, who hand-reared many of the endangered animals.
"It's been quite heartbreaking when you raise animals and see them like this. They have never known anything but gentleness and kindness."
Eight goats are confirmed dead and seven others are missing. Other animals on the island have also not returned.
"My goats were just coming home for the evening and this happened - even Buttercup [her pet pig]) is missing." |
More on Betty Rowe: http://www.mysteriousnewzealand.co.nz/chemtrails/chemtrailsbettyrowe.html |
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Deano
Joined: 22 Mar 2005
Posts: 710
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| Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2006 9:25 pm Post Subject: |
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That sucks Im sorry to hear that Melody and my thoughts go out to Betty.
Hope they catch those losers, lowdown gutter trash!!! :x
What could have been the motive??? |
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Carus
Joined: 22 Feb 2004
Posts: 352
Location: Auckland
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| Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 12:48 pm Post Subject: |
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| I hope the police are able to get to the bottom of this and it would be interesting to hear who these people are and why they did such a thing. It seems like very odd, but deliberate act. |
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Colin
Joined: 22 Feb 2004
Posts: 140
Location: Auckland, NZ
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| Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 1:33 pm Post Subject: |
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What a weird and senseless event! I can imagine it being a very frightening experience. My sympathies too go out to Betty.
It is a mis-use of the word 'hunter' to refer to those responsible. Real hunters dont operate in wildlife reserves like Betty's. There's nothing sporting at all about this either. And they were obviously not keen to discuss their actions with Betty's grandson when he gave chase. |
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Betty Rowe
Joined: 14 Apr 2005
Posts: 81
Location: Arapawa Island, Marlborough Sounds
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| Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:28 pm Post Subject: |
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Thank you all for your messages.
It has been a most stressful time and the police were not exactly giving this drive-by shooting high priority, even though it was done near my house. They are now being more cooperative and getting onto it. We have a suspect at last.
Heavy CT action out here and the most terrifying storms, one after the other.
Did any of you see the BBC programme on the "Dimming of the Atmosphere", or something like that name?
They spoke about contrails, but they were describing chemtrails. I didn't see the whole programme, but I felt they were using this explanation to draw attention away from the CTs......
Hope to get back with you soon. Have been chasing my tail for weeks what with the never ending storms and then the shootings.
I will be glad when July has passed on.
Hugs Betty |
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Colin
Joined: 22 Feb 2004
Posts: 140
Location: Auckland, NZ
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| Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:53 pm Post Subject: BBC Documentary |
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Hello Betty,
Glad to see you back at Mysterious New Zealand. I hope the police are able to get some kind of positive for you result after the shooting incident.
I had a quick search for information about the BBC show you mentioned and wondered if it was an episode of the Horizon documentary series.
I have found a summary and transcript of a show that fits your description. Does it look like the show you saw?
Global Dimming: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/programmes/horizon/dimming_qa.shtml |
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Betty Rowe
Joined: 14 Apr 2005
Posts: 81
Location: Arapawa Island, Marlborough Sounds
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| Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 3:18 pm Post Subject: |
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Hi Colin, I believe that was part of the programme, but as I think about it, this was a two titled programme." Global Dimming and Global Warming." Seems they are at odds with each other and we only have about 25 years left, if we don't fix the problem.
Wish I had seen more of it. Will check in the SKY programme directory and see if I can find it It caught me eye because they were going on about the dimming of the light we receive on earth and it looked like it does when the CTs plume out and leave that haze. What I saw of it was very interesting
Will look some more when I get a break. I think it was a special on BBC news, so am not sure I can find it.
Thanks for the good wishes.
Betty |
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